1. Given that $f'(x) = 6x^2 - 4x + 1$ and $f(0) = 2$, what is the equation of the tangent line to $y = f(x)$ at $x = 1$?
- A.$y = 3x$
- B.$y = 3x + 2$
- C.$y = 3x - 2$
- D.$y = x + 2$
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Answer: $y = 3x$
Integrate to recover f(x): Since $f'(x) = 6x^2 - 4x + 1$, integrating gives $f(x) = 2x^3 - 2x^2 + x + C$. Using $f(0) = 2$, we find $C = 2$, so $f(x) = 2x^3 - 2x^2 + x + 2$. Find the slope and point at x = 1: The slope is $f'(1) = 6 - 4 + 1 = 3$. The function value is $f(1) = 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 3$. The tangent passes through $(1, 3)$ with slope $3$. Write the tangent line equation: Point-slope form: $y - 3 = 3(x - 1)$, giving $y = 3x$. Option A is correct. Why distractors fail: Option B ($y = 3x + 2$) incorrectly uses $f(0) = 2$ as the $y$-intercept. Option C ($y = 3x - 2$) uses an incorrect $y$-intercept. Option D ($y = x + 2$) substitutes $f'(0) = 1$ for the slope instead of $f'(1) = 3$.